The Disproportionality Series Part 3: A Conversation with Donna Ford

The Disproportionality Series Part 3: A Conversation with Donna Ford

From DiveIn: Diving into Special Education's Most Complex and Pressing Debates by Federico R. Waitoller

March 8, 2026 · 58 min · Season 3 · Episode 11

About this episode

Federico Waitoller interviews Dr. Donna Ford about the underrepresentation of Black and Latinx students in gifted and talented education programs.

In this podcast episode, Federico Waitoller interviews Dr. Donna Ford, a distinguished professor in gifted and talented education, to discuss the underrepresentation of Black and Latinx students in these programs. Dr. Ford highlights the pervasive issue of disproportionality, drawing attention to systemic biases ingrained in policies and educational practices. The conversation delves into the root causes and explores the differences in state policies that contribute to the disparities. Dr. Ford emphasizes the need for greater accountability and the importance of addressing both implicit and explicit biases to achieve equity in educational opportunities. Transcript of Episode This is the show Donna and I could not remember the name. Check this great clip ! https://share.google/r8i6PasKa5ByauV56

People in this episode

Host: Federico Waitoller

Guest: Dr. Donna Ford

Topics covered

  • disproportionality
  • Black students
  • Latinx students
  • educational equity
  • systemic biases
  • state policies

Keywords

  • disproportionality
  • Black students
  • Latinx students
  • educational equity
  • systemic biases
  • accountability
  • implicit biases

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: gifted and talented education

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